Dust ruffles are made of a decorative fabric and are positioned between a box spring and a mattress of a bed, wherein the fabric of the dust ruffle extends to the length of the floor preventing the collection of dust and dirt underneath the bed. As shown in FIG. 1, the typical dust ruffle provides an aesthetic effect of the overall appearance of the bed. The typical dust ruffle extends beyond the length of the box spring to the floor on three of the four sides of the box spring. The weight of the mattress, however, does not provide enough compressive force between the box spring and the mattress to keep the dust ruffle in place as the bed is used. When the sheets are removed for cleaning and the mattress rotated for even wear of the mattress, the dust ruffle is difficult to keep in position on the box spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,531 discloses a dust ruffle with a separable fastener system, which maintains the dust ruffle in position on the box spring, however, each fastening means of the dust ruffle to the box spring disclosed requires modification to the box spring.
The prior art dust ruffle fastening means is achieved by securing a hook and loop fastener to the top horizontal fabric surface of the box spring. Over a extended period of use of removing and reapplying the dust ruffle to the box spring, the prior art fastening means would apply tensile stress to the top portion of the box spring fabric, which is not designed to have tensile stresses applied in this area. Continued use of this prior art fastener would cause distress to the material of the box spring where the hook and loop fasteners are attached, causing the fabric of the box spring to eventually tear or rip. The ripped box spring fabric in the area where the fastener is attached would not allow the user to continue to use the dust ruffle fasteners and would eventually require the user to purchase a new box spring before the utility of the box spring has expired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,003 discloses the same type of fastening means, however, the hook and loop fasteners are attached to the vertical side of the box spring. This disclosure would cause the same type of problems of the above patent after repeated fastening and unfastening of the dust ruffle.
What is needed is a dust ruffle that can be easily applied to the box spring without having detrimental effects to the box spring itself.